She's a mite whimsical in the brainpan.

Entries tagged with oh my lady

I was clearing off some backlog in my drama list - finishing some dramas where I had only few eps prior to ginormous binges on Baker and Gloria. The first on the list was Oh My Lady. I sort of followed it as it aired in the spring but kept losing more and more interest, and finally just dropped it with only two episodes left. Well, four months later, I finally watched eps 15 and 16 and completed OML.

As you can guess, for someone who is obsessive enough to watch dramas she likes raw and learns new tech methods so she could watch as soon as she can, waiting four months to watch the final episodes and then only doing it as a part of "clean slate" program, is quite a judgment on the drama.

And so the final verdict is: it's a plotless, directionless mess which could have been worse, true, but also could have been so much better!

I was excited for OML from the moment it was announced - a story of a younger superstar and an older housewife who ends up being his manager - I had visions of Last Scandal and similar. Alas, it was not to be. OML had a cute premise and a mostly decent cast (I liked Chae Rim in Powerful Opponents, Coi Siwon is not just gorgeous but one of the few idols I think can act, and the kids were adorable), but it was wrecked by the following 3 huge flaws:

1. No chemistry between the leads. None. I have NEVER seen this little chemistry between a leading man and his supposed love interest. Never. See this scene:

It is supposed to make me go "squee" instead of feeling rather icked out, as if siblings or, worse, a parental figure and the kid were kissing. Siwon and Chae Rim (who each had chemistry with other costars in other dramas) have not just zero chemistry, they have negative chemistry. This is something that a plot-driven drama can overcome (I don't find the lead pair in Giant to have much chemistry - though nowhere near as abysmal as the leads in OML - but it doesn't matter much because the OTP is one of many many story strands all the rest of which work, and some of them involve another OTP which is more satisfying). But a romcom, especially such a fluffy one, lives and dies on the chemistry of its leads. If it isn't there, there is nothing left. Take Personal Taste, another flawed spring romcom. The reason I stuck around for so long was the crazy chemistry between the leads - it was not much better written than OML nor more plot-driven - but it mattered much less because Son Ye Jin and Lee Min Ho burned up the screen.

2. If the makers could not help chemistry, they could help the writing and the pacing. The characters remain absolutely static from ep 1-14. Siwon's character is little different in ep 14 from ep 1 ad Chae Rim's is identical. I can buy that Siwon's character matures a bit in those 14 eps but not enough for me to view him as either genuinely grown up, ready for parenting; or grown-up for Chae Rim. Yet, after this static lack of development, the makers cram everything into the last 2 eps. It does not work. Crazy chemistry may have tided them over but it is nonexistent and without it being forced to believe that purely platonic/sibling/never saw you this way characters (they honestly felt like siblings to me and not in a 'fakecest' way, either) decide they love each other and want to get married, just appears insane. I don't need a drama to be heavily plot-driven to enjoy it (I am charmed by Mischievous Kiss and it's very low on plot) but I need believable character interactions and progession to buy what the show is selling. These stories and characters basically go nowhere.

3. The cast - more accurately, the lack of proper use of the leads and horrendous secondaries. I like Choi Siwon. In fact, he was the main reason I wanted to watch this drama. And on the ogling front it stisfied just fine.

But there is no question that while promising, Siwon is pretty much a newbie and cannot compete with someone like Jang Hyuk or Lee Byung Hun or Lee Bum Soo or Hyun Bin or ____ (insert name of veteran actor here). What I mean is, he cannot fill in the blanks by himself if the character is very underwritten, the way his was. (Contrast him with someone like Micky Yooochun in Sugkyunkwan Scandal. I find their acting levels about equal but Yoochun's character is really well-written so I swoon for him).

And then there is the human wooden block who is Lee Hyun Woo. I know he comes from a very connected family and that must be the only explanation for him continuing to be cast. Every time he enters a scene, my eyes glaze over. And yet a big chunk of story is devoted to him. Ugh.

Chae Rim is an actress I like but not adore, but in any event, she basically coasts through this, doing a low-rent reprisal of her Dalja's role.

Park Han Byul seems like a cool lady in real life (she'd have to be, to put up with the insanity of dating Se7en for years) but as an actress, she is the female equivalent of Lee Hyun Woo.

And except for adorable kids, the rest of the cast does not even register.

Anyway, what a pity, OML. Despite what you may gather from my LJ, I do love romcoms and not just angstfests (My Girl, Pick the Stars, Last Scandal, Chunhyang, Coffee House, Prosecutor Princess, even first half of BOF etc). Too bad this wasn't one of them.

I was clearing off some backlog in my drama list - finishing some dramas where I had only few eps prior to ginormous binges on Baker and Gloria. The first on the list was Oh My Lady. I sort of followed it as it aired in the spring but kept losing more and more interest, and finally just dropped it with only two episodes left. Well, four months later, I finally watched eps 15 and 16 and completed OML.

As you can guess, for someone who is obsessive enough to watch dramas she likes raw and learns new tech methods so she could watch as soon as she can, waiting four months to watch the final episodes and then only doing it as a part of "clean slate" program, is quite a judgment on the drama.

And so the final verdict is: it's a plotless, directionless mess which could have been worse, true, but also could have been so much better!

I was excited for OML from the moment it was announced - a story of a younger superstar and an older housewife who ends up being his manager - I had visions of Last Scandal and similar. Alas, it was not to be. OML had a cute premise and a mostly decent cast (I liked Chae Rim in Powerful Opponents, Coi Siwon is not just gorgeous but one of the few idols I think can act, and the kids were adorable), but it was wrecked by the following 3 huge flaws:

1. No chemistry between the leads. None. I have NEVER seen this little chemistry between a leading man and his supposed love interest. Never. See this scene:

It is supposed to make me go "squee" instead of feeling rather icked out, as if siblings or, worse, a parental figure and the kid were kissing. Siwon and Chae Rim (who each had chemistry with other costars in other dramas) have not just zero chemistry, they have negative chemistry. This is something that a plot-driven drama can overcome (I don't find the lead pair in Giant to have much chemistry - though nowhere near as abysmal as the leads in OML - but it doesn't matter much because the OTP is one of many many story strands all the rest of which work, and some of them involve another OTP which is more satisfying). But a romcom, especially such a fluffy one, lives and dies on the chemistry of its leads. If it isn't there, there is nothing left. Take Personal Taste, another flawed spring romcom. The reason I stuck around for so long was the crazy chemistry between the leads - it was not much better written than OML nor more plot-driven - but it mattered much less because Son Ye Jin and Lee Min Ho burned up the screen.

2. If the makers could not help chemistry, they could help the writing and the pacing. The characters remain absolutely static from ep 1-14. Siwon's character is little different in ep 14 from ep 1 ad Chae Rim's is identical. I can buy that Siwon's character matures a bit in those 14 eps but not enough for me to view him as either genuinely grown up, ready for parenting; or grown-up for Chae Rim. Yet, after this static lack of development, the makers cram everything into the last 2 eps. It does not work. Crazy chemistry may have tided them over but it is nonexistent and without it being forced to believe that purely platonic/sibling/never saw you this way characters (they honestly felt like siblings to me and not in a 'fakecest' way, either) decide they love each other and want to get married, just appears insane. I don't need a drama to be heavily plot-driven to enjoy it (I am charmed by Mischievous Kiss and it's very low on plot) but I need believable character interactions and progession to buy what the show is selling. These stories and characters basically go nowhere.

3. The cast - more accurately, the lack of proper use of the leads and horrendous secondaries. I like Choi Siwon. In fact, he was the main reason I wanted to watch this drama. And on the ogling front it stisfied just fine.

But there is no question that while promising, Siwon is pretty much a newbie and cannot compete with someone like Jang Hyuk or Lee Byung Hun or Lee Bum Soo or Hyun Bin or ____ (insert name of veteran actor here). What I mean is, he cannot fill in the blanks by himself if the character is very underwritten, the way his was. (Contrast him with someone like Micky Yooochun in Sugkyunkwan Scandal. I find their acting levels about equal but Yoochun's character is really well-written so I swoon for him).

And then there is the human wooden block who is Lee Hyun Woo. I know he comes from a very connected family and that must be the only explanation for him continuing to be cast. Every time he enters a scene, my eyes glaze over. And yet a big chunk of story is devoted to him. Ugh.

Chae Rim is an actress I like but not adore, but in any event, she basically coasts through this, doing a low-rent reprisal of her Dalja's role.

Park Han Byul seems like a cool lady in real life (she'd have to be, to put up with the insanity of dating Se7en for years) but as an actress, she is the female equivalent of Lee Hyun Woo.

And except for adorable kids, the rest of the cast does not even register.

Anyway, what a pity, OML. Despite what you may gather from my LJ, I do love romcoms and not just angstfests (My Girl, Pick the Stars, Last Scandal, Chunhyang, Coffee House, Prosecutor Princess, even first half of BOF etc). Too bad this wasn't one of them.

I was clearing off some backlog in my drama list - finishing some dramas where I had only few eps prior to ginormous binges on Baker and Gloria. The first on the list was Oh My Lady. I sort of followed it as it aired in the spring but kept losing more and more interest, and finally just dropped it with only two episodes left. Well, four months later, I finally watched eps 15 and 16 and completed OML.

As you can guess, for someone who is obsessive enough to watch dramas she likes raw and learns new tech methods so she could watch as soon as she can, waiting four months to watch the final episodes and then only doing it as a part of "clean slate" program, is quite a judgment on the drama.

And so the final verdict is: it's a plotless, directionless mess which could have been worse, true, but also could have been so much better!

I was excited for OML from the moment it was announced - a story of a younger superstar and an older housewife who ends up being his manager - I had visions of Last Scandal and similar. Alas, it was not to be. OML had a cute premise and a mostly decent cast (I liked Chae Rim in Powerful Opponents, Coi Siwon is not just gorgeous but one of the few idols I think can act, and the kids were adorable), but it was wrecked by the following 3 huge flaws:

1. No chemistry between the leads. None. I have NEVER seen this little chemistry between a leading man and his supposed love interest. Never. See this scene:

It is supposed to make me go "squee" instead of feeling rather icked out, as if siblings or, worse, a parental figure and the kid were kissing. Siwon and Chae Rim (who each had chemistry with other costars in other dramas) have not just zero chemistry, they have negative chemistry. This is something that a plot-driven drama can overcome (I don't find the lead pair in Giant to have much chemistry - though nowhere near as abysmal as the leads in OML - but it doesn't matter much because the OTP is one of many many story strands all the rest of which work, and some of them involve another OTP which is more satisfying). But a romcom, especially such a fluffy one, lives and dies on the chemistry of its leads. If it isn't there, there is nothing left. Take Personal Taste, another flawed spring romcom. The reason I stuck around for so long was the crazy chemistry between the leads - it was not much better written than OML nor more plot-driven - but it mattered much less because Son Ye Jin and Lee Min Ho burned up the screen.

2. If the makers could not help chemistry, they could help the writing and the pacing. The characters remain absolutely static from ep 1-14. Siwon's character is little different in ep 14 from ep 1 ad Chae Rim's is identical. I can buy that Siwon's character matures a bit in those 14 eps but not enough for me to view him as either genuinely grown up, ready for parenting; or grown-up for Chae Rim. Yet, after this static lack of development, the makers cram everything into the last 2 eps. It does not work. Crazy chemistry may have tided them over but it is nonexistent and without it being forced to believe that purely platonic/sibling/never saw you this way characters (they honestly felt like siblings to me and not in a 'fakecest' way, either) decide they love each other and want to get married, just appears insane. I don't need a drama to be heavily plot-driven to enjoy it (I am charmed by Mischievous Kiss and it's very low on plot) but I need believable character interactions and progession to buy what the show is selling. These stories and characters basically go nowhere.

3. The cast - more accurately, the lack of proper use of the leads and horrendous secondaries. I like Choi Siwon. In fact, he was the main reason I wanted to watch this drama. And on the ogling front it stisfied just fine.

But there is no question that while promising, Siwon is pretty much a newbie and cannot compete with someone like Jang Hyuk or Lee Byung Hun or Lee Bum Soo or Hyun Bin or ____ (insert name of veteran actor here). What I mean is, he cannot fill in the blanks by himself if the character is very underwritten, the way his was. (Contrast him with someone like Micky Yooochun in Sugkyunkwan Scandal. I find their acting levels about equal but Yoochun's character is really well-written so I swoon for him).

And then there is the human wooden block who is Lee Hyun Woo. I know he comes from a very connected family and that must be the only explanation for him continuing to be cast. Every time he enters a scene, my eyes glaze over. And yet a big chunk of story is devoted to him. Ugh.

Chae Rim is an actress I like but not adore, but in any event, she basically coasts through this, doing a low-rent reprisal of her Dalja's role.

Park Han Byul seems like a cool lady in real life (she'd have to be, to put up with the insanity of dating Se7en for years) but as an actress, she is the female equivalent of Lee Hyun Woo.

And except for adorable kids, the rest of the cast does not even register.

Anyway, what a pity, OML. Despite what you may gather from my LJ, I do love romcoms and not just angstfests (My Girl, Pick the Stars, Last Scandal, Chunhyang, Coffee House, Prosecutor Princess, even first half of BOF etc). Too bad this wasn't one of them.

1. I continue to be boggled by the fact that there are less than 4 weeks until the premiere of Kim Sun Ah's I Am Legend (about girl-rockers, not zombie-fighters :P) and yet the drama still has not cast its leading man. That is beyond bizarre (unless they plan to have an all-girl drama with no romance which, while interesting, would be a guaranteed ratings flop). SBS' decision to bump Bad Guy (which was almost done filming) for later in order to move IAL forward seems more and more bizarre.

2. I don't post much about it because it's not very meta-able, but I keep enjoying Oh My Lady. It's my low-maintenance drama. I don't spend days in fever of anticipation for next eps or hunting for spoilers, nor am I emotionally absorbed but I do enjoy the fluff and like its characters - OML always puts a grin on my face. The romance is rather lacking, but for once I don't mind.

3. I caught up on Prosecutor Princess. The only thing yummier than angsty, drunk, breaking-down In Woo is In Woo taking an angsty shower (does anyone in Korea shower when they are otherwise than angsty? Is it a nation of miserable clean people?)

Much as I love In Woo, I sort of want to smack him for the fact that he's continuing to use HR for revenge no matter how bad it makes him feel. I can understand his desire for revenge (especially since it's looking more and more likely HR's dad was responsible for the death of IW's mother so he is trapped by his plans) but...still. (I loved the scene where he was at the bar with Jenny and was almost crying that he doesn't want to continue his revenge or to love HR either, he just wants her not to be in his life). But all I know is that when HR finds out the truth she will be davastated. I hope she never forgives him. Ever. (Yes, I ship them and I still hope that. I am bizarre.) At least not putting him through hell first. Also, can you imagine those family reunions?

4. Old news but I am still excited by it - Song Seung Heon is coming back to dramas to star in My Princess by writer of City Hall/Lovers in Paris. It's a romance (not sure if comedy or angsty). Yay!

1. I continue to be boggled by the fact that there are less than 4 weeks until the premiere of Kim Sun Ah's I Am Legend (about girl-rockers, not zombie-fighters :P) and yet the drama still has not cast its leading man. That is beyond bizarre (unless they plan to have an all-girl drama with no romance which, while interesting, would be a guaranteed ratings flop). SBS' decision to bump Bad Guy (which was almost done filming) for later in order to move IAL forward seems more and more bizarre.

2. I don't post much about it because it's not very meta-able, but I keep enjoying Oh My Lady. It's my low-maintenance drama. I don't spend days in fever of anticipation for next eps or hunting for spoilers, nor am I emotionally absorbed but I do enjoy the fluff and like its characters - OML always puts a grin on my face. The romance is rather lacking, but for once I don't mind.

3. I caught up on Prosecutor Princess. The only thing yummier than angsty, drunk, breaking-down In Woo is In Woo taking an angsty shower (does anyone in Korea shower when they are otherwise than angsty? Is it a nation of miserable clean people?)

Much as I love In Woo, I sort of want to smack him for the fact that he's continuing to use HR for revenge no matter how bad it makes him feel. I can understand his desire for revenge (especially since it's looking more and more likely HR's dad was responsible for the death of IW's mother so he is trapped by his plans) but...still. (I loved the scene where he was at the bar with Jenny and was almost crying that he doesn't want to continue his revenge or to love HR either, he just wants her not to be in his life). But all I know is that when HR finds out the truth she will be davastated. I hope she never forgives him. Ever. (Yes, I ship them and I still hope that. I am bizarre.) At least not putting him through hell first. Also, can you imagine those family reunions?

4. Old news but I am still excited by it - Song Seung Heon is coming back to dramas to star in My Princess by writer of City Hall/Lovers in Paris. It's a romance (not sure if comedy or angsty). Yay!

1. I continue to be boggled by the fact that there are less than 4 weeks until the premiere of Kim Sun Ah's I Am Legend (about girl-rockers, not zombie-fighters :P) and yet the drama still has not cast its leading man. That is beyond bizarre (unless they plan to have an all-girl drama with no romance which, while interesting, would be a guaranteed ratings flop). SBS' decision to bump Bad Guy (which was almost done filming) for later in order to move IAL forward seems more and more bizarre.

2. I don't post much about it because it's not very meta-able, but I keep enjoying Oh My Lady. It's my low-maintenance drama. I don't spend days in fever of anticipation for next eps or hunting for spoilers, nor am I emotionally absorbed but I do enjoy the fluff and like its characters - OML always puts a grin on my face. The romance is rather lacking, but for once I don't mind.

3. I caught up on Prosecutor Princess. The only thing yummier than angsty, drunk, breaking-down In Woo is In Woo taking an angsty shower (does anyone in Korea shower when they are otherwise than angsty? Is it a nation of miserable clean people?)

Much as I love In Woo, I sort of want to smack him for the fact that he's continuing to use HR for revenge no matter how bad it makes him feel. I can understand his desire for revenge (especially since it's looking more and more likely HR's dad was responsible for the death of IW's mother so he is trapped by his plans) but...still. (I loved the scene where he was at the bar with Jenny and was almost crying that he doesn't want to continue his revenge or to love HR either, he just wants her not to be in his life). But all I know is that when HR finds out the truth she will be davastated. I hope she never forgives him. Ever. (Yes, I ship them and I still hope that. I am bizarre.) At least not putting him through hell first. Also, can you imagine those family reunions?

4. Old news but I am still excited by it - Song Seung Heon is coming back to dramas to star in My Princess by writer of City Hall/Lovers in Paris. It's a romance (not sure if comedy or angsty). Yay!

Instead of catching up on my ginormous backlog, I have been rewatching parts of Personal Taste ep 10 and taking come caps. I am not even in the mood to watch anything else, no matter how good. I just want to wallow in PT.

I am obsessed with this drama. OBSESSED. It is definitely my drama of the spring season to me - by now I have achieved this absolute emotional immersion that is my goal in drama watching but doesn't happen all too often. I get incoherent, I get giddy, and rageful, and happy, and sniffly. Perfect, perfect.

Especially ep 10 which was such an emotional hothouse - yes, I love dramas because they turn me into an emotional vampire. MMMMM.

Of course, all this rewatching forced me to confront the fact that I will never get through my backlog - i.e. there is no way I can keep up with 8 airing dramas. It's not doable, especially since Kimura's Moon Lovers (Tsuki no Koibito) starts next week and there is no way in hell I am not following that one as it airs. Nine airing dramas? No way.

So some major pruning is occurring:

Keeping for Weekly Viewing:

Personal Taste; Prosecutor Princess; Sunao No Narenakute - These three dramas I am obsessed about. I am not giving them up for anything.

Oh My Lady - OML is easy to keep up with since I skip all the scenes not involving the OTP or the cute kids. I am not as in love with it as I am with the three up top but it's fun.

Keeping, Maybe:

Yankee-kut to Megane-chan - subs for this are irregular so I am considering just waiting until it's done. But will see.

Dropping:

Down with Love - let's face it, I am 10 eps behind, the drama is almost done, I might as well wait until it's all done and marathon. Especially since I prefer downloadable subs to viikii ones for this so I can ff through parts that do not interest me and those subs are rather behind so it will be a while until they will be completed.

Dong Yi: - I am 6 or 8 eps behind (depending on whether you count raws or subbed). I might as well give up for now. Once the spring drama season is over, I can catch up and DY is so long that it will still be running then and once I catch up, I can just join the weekly watching again.

Cinderella Unni: I am less than 3 eps behind which is nothing but I don't want to catch up. All the main characters seem to have become permanent residents of Miseryville which wears down on one after a while. I have made a discovery that while I can watch most other genres as airing dramas, I cannot do it with melodramas. I prefer to have all my angst-emo-melo in one big, controlled by me, gulp and not in weekly dribs and drabs (see Will It Snow at Xmas, another excellent melodrama, that I tried to follow as it aired, had to give up, but really enjoyed marathonning after). So I'll catch up with CU once it's done.

Instead of catching up on my ginormous backlog, I have been rewatching parts of Personal Taste ep 10 and taking come caps. I am not even in the mood to watch anything else, no matter how good. I just want to wallow in PT.

I am obsessed with this drama. OBSESSED. It is definitely my drama of the spring season to me - by now I have achieved this absolute emotional immersion that is my goal in drama watching but doesn't happen all too often. I get incoherent, I get giddy, and rageful, and happy, and sniffly. Perfect, perfect.

Especially ep 10 which was such an emotional hothouse - yes, I love dramas because they turn me into an emotional vampire. MMMMM.

Of course, all this rewatching forced me to confront the fact that I will never get through my backlog - i.e. there is no way I can keep up with 8 airing dramas. It's not doable, especially since Kimura's Moon Lovers (Tsuki no Koibito) starts next week and there is no way in hell I am not following that one as it airs. Nine airing dramas? No way.

So some major pruning is occurring:

Keeping for Weekly Viewing:

Personal Taste; Prosecutor Princess; Sunao No Narenakute - These three dramas I am obsessed about. I am not giving them up for anything.

Oh My Lady - OML is easy to keep up with since I skip all the scenes not involving the OTP or the cute kids. I am not as in love with it as I am with the three up top but it's fun.

Keeping, Maybe:

Yankee-kut to Megane-chan - subs for this are irregular so I am considering just waiting until it's done. But will see.

Dropping:

Down with Love - let's face it, I am 10 eps behind, the drama is almost done, I might as well wait until it's all done and marathon. Especially since I prefer downloadable subs to viikii ones for this so I can ff through parts that do not interest me and those subs are rather behind so it will be a while until they will be completed.

Dong Yi: - I am 6 or 8 eps behind (depending on whether you count raws or subbed). I might as well give up for now. Once the spring drama season is over, I can catch up and DY is so long that it will still be running then and once I catch up, I can just join the weekly watching again.

Cinderella Unni: I am less than 3 eps behind which is nothing but I don't want to catch up. All the main characters seem to have become permanent residents of Miseryville which wears down on one after a while. I have made a discovery that while I can watch most other genres as airing dramas, I cannot do it with melodramas. I prefer to have all my angst-emo-melo in one big, controlled by me, gulp and not in weekly dribs and drabs (see Will It Snow at Xmas, another excellent melodrama, that I tried to follow as it aired, had to give up, but really enjoyed marathonning after). So I'll catch up with CU once it's done.

Instead of catching up on my ginormous backlog, I have been rewatching parts of Personal Taste ep 10 and taking come caps. I am not even in the mood to watch anything else, no matter how good. I just want to wallow in PT.

I am obsessed with this drama. OBSESSED. It is definitely my drama of the spring season to me - by now I have achieved this absolute emotional immersion that is my goal in drama watching but doesn't happen all too often. I get incoherent, I get giddy, and rageful, and happy, and sniffly. Perfect, perfect.

Especially ep 10 which was such an emotional hothouse - yes, I love dramas because they turn me into an emotional vampire. MMMMM.

Of course, all this rewatching forced me to confront the fact that I will never get through my backlog - i.e. there is no way I can keep up with 8 airing dramas. It's not doable, especially since Kimura's Moon Lovers (Tsuki no Koibito) starts next week and there is no way in hell I am not following that one as it airs. Nine airing dramas? No way.

So some major pruning is occurring:

Keeping for Weekly Viewing:

Personal Taste; Prosecutor Princess; Sunao No Narenakute - These three dramas I am obsessed about. I am not giving them up for anything.

Oh My Lady - OML is easy to keep up with since I skip all the scenes not involving the OTP or the cute kids. I am not as in love with it as I am with the three up top but it's fun.

Keeping, Maybe:

Yankee-kut to Megane-chan - subs for this are irregular so I am considering just waiting until it's done. But will see.

Dropping:

Down with Love - let's face it, I am 10 eps behind, the drama is almost done, I might as well wait until it's all done and marathon. Especially since I prefer downloadable subs to viikii ones for this so I can ff through parts that do not interest me and those subs are rather behind so it will be a while until they will be completed.

Dong Yi: - I am 6 or 8 eps behind (depending on whether you count raws or subbed). I might as well give up for now. Once the spring drama season is over, I can catch up and DY is so long that it will still be running then and once I catch up, I can just join the weekly watching again.

Cinderella Unni: I am less than 3 eps behind which is nothing but I don't want to catch up. All the main characters seem to have become permanent residents of Miseryville which wears down on one after a while. I have made a discovery that while I can watch most other genres as airing dramas, I cannot do it with melodramas. I prefer to have all my angst-emo-melo in one big, controlled by me, gulp and not in weekly dribs and drabs (see Will It Snow at Xmas, another excellent melodrama, that I tried to follow as it aired, had to give up, but really enjoyed marathonning after). So I'll catch up with CU once it's done.

After a bit of past discussion about interesting v. likeable characters (I can deal with a drama that has no latter but not with a drama lacking in former), I decided to make a list of interesting/likeable characters for all the dramas I am following. Some are one but not the other, some are both.

After a bit of past discussion about interesting v. likeable characters (I can deal with a drama that has no latter but not with a drama lacking in former), I decided to make a list of interesting/likeable characters for all the dramas I am following. Some are one but not the other, some are both.

After a bit of past discussion about interesting v. likeable characters (I can deal with a drama that has no latter but not with a drama lacking in former), I decided to make a list of interesting/likeable characters for all the dramas I am following. Some are one but not the other, some are both.

Episode 8 of Prosecutor Princess was pure perfection. We had (1) kissing (2) piggybacks (3) grocery shopping (4) cooking and eating together (5) nightmare-soothing. Plus a heck of a lot plot and character development.

This ep is a huge turning point because Ma Hyeri finally realizes that there is something really weird about all the 'coincidences' that keep throwing her in In Woo's path and that there is something truly off going on. And of course all the delicious angst on In Woo's part because he has so fallen in love with Hyeri but she is basically the one woman he cannot have. My hypothethis is currently that Hyeri's Dad ran over In Woo's Mother in a car accident back when In Woo was in 6th grade (that is why he was having a freak-out recreating the car accident Hyeri was investigating and then had that nightmare) but because he was powerful/rich, he got off with no trouble. And In Woo and Hyeri knew each other as kids (maybe they were even neighbors?) His father took In Woo to America where he met and became good friends with Jenny. And now he is back to wreck vengeance on Hyeri's father using the fact that Hyeri's father builds those not-up-to-code buildings and has a shady relationship with some official. And he wants to use Hyeri in this scheme because she is a prosecutor (because he thinks he can get close to her and manipulate her and because it would be the best revenge to have the guy brought down by his own daughter). But he feels bad for Hyeri because it's not her fault so a huge reason he's nice to her isn't for manipulativeness but because he feels this is a sort of a compensation for what will happen later. And then he falls for her. Ooops. Anyway, that is my hypothethis. I still have no idea how the soju-stand owner lady fits into all this.

ETA: Also caught up on eps 9-10 of Oh My Lady. Liked 10 even if 9 had me a bit antsy but ohhh, my fluff-fest is turning angsty - do not approve. I need my fluffy drama!

Episode 8 of Prosecutor Princess was pure perfection. We had (1) kissing (2) piggybacks (3) grocery shopping (4) cooking and eating together (5) nightmare-soothing. Plus a heck of a lot plot and character development.

This ep is a huge turning point because Ma Hyeri finally realizes that there is something really weird about all the 'coincidences' that keep throwing her in In Woo's path and that there is something truly off going on. And of course all the delicious angst on In Woo's part because he has so fallen in love with Hyeri but she is basically the one woman he cannot have. My hypothethis is currently that Hyeri's Dad ran over In Woo's Mother in a car accident back when In Woo was in 6th grade (that is why he was having a freak-out recreating the car accident Hyeri was investigating and then had that nightmare) but because he was powerful/rich, he got off with no trouble. And In Woo and Hyeri knew each other as kids (maybe they were even neighbors?) His father took In Woo to America where he met and became good friends with Jenny. And now he is back to wreck vengeance on Hyeri's father using the fact that Hyeri's father builds those not-up-to-code buildings and has a shady relationship with some official. And he wants to use Hyeri in this scheme because she is a prosecutor (because he thinks he can get close to her and manipulate her and because it would be the best revenge to have the guy brought down by his own daughter). But he feels bad for Hyeri because it's not her fault so a huge reason he's nice to her isn't for manipulativeness but because he feels this is a sort of a compensation for what will happen later. And then he falls for her. Ooops. Anyway, that is my hypothethis. I still have no idea how the soju-stand owner lady fits into all this.

ETA: Also caught up on eps 9-10 of Oh My Lady. Liked 10 even if 9 had me a bit antsy but ohhh, my fluff-fest is turning angsty - do not approve. I need my fluffy drama!

Episode 8 of Prosecutor Princess was pure perfection. We had (1) kissing (2) piggybacks (3) grocery shopping (4) cooking and eating together (5) nightmare-soothing. Plus a heck of a lot plot and character development.

This ep is a huge turning point because Ma Hyeri finally realizes that there is something really weird about all the 'coincidences' that keep throwing her in In Woo's path and that there is something truly off going on. And of course all the delicious angst on In Woo's part because he has so fallen in love with Hyeri but she is basically the one woman he cannot have. My hypothethis is currently that Hyeri's Dad ran over In Woo's Mother in a car accident back when In Woo was in 6th grade (that is why he was having a freak-out recreating the car accident Hyeri was investigating and then had that nightmare) but because he was powerful/rich, he got off with no trouble. And In Woo and Hyeri knew each other as kids (maybe they were even neighbors?) His father took In Woo to America where he met and became good friends with Jenny. And now he is back to wreck vengeance on Hyeri's father using the fact that Hyeri's father builds those not-up-to-code buildings and has a shady relationship with some official. And he wants to use Hyeri in this scheme because she is a prosecutor (because he thinks he can get close to her and manipulate her and because it would be the best revenge to have the guy brought down by his own daughter). But he feels bad for Hyeri because it's not her fault so a huge reason he's nice to her isn't for manipulativeness but because he feels this is a sort of a compensation for what will happen later. And then he falls for her. Ooops. Anyway, that is my hypothethis. I still have no idea how the soju-stand owner lady fits into all this.

ETA: Also caught up on eps 9-10 of Oh My Lady. Liked 10 even if 9 had me a bit antsy but ohhh, my fluff-fest is turning angsty - do not approve. I need my fluffy drama!

You guys, I am so in love with Sunao ni Narenakute - I have finished the episode and if it keeps this up, it's going on my all-time favorites list. I am more of a kdrama girl than a jdrama one, but almost nothing can compare with a jdrama done right.

Before a few comments on second half of first ep (behind cut), I just want to point out that at least two of the five main characters would have legal recourse out of their horrible situations if they were in the United States.

Poor Seonsu. I wanted to go in there and shred that horrible person's face. What kind of boss pours a cup of water on his employee's head and belittles and insults him in front of everyone? This is a textbook case of workplace harassment and racial discrimination as Seonsu is Korean. Hello, lawsuit in the US! He'd win pretty easily, too.

And speaking of textbook, hello Kaoru's situation! This is like an example from a lawbook of what sexual harassment looks like! When your boss tells you she will fire you or demote you if you don't become her boytoy? Case over - though he should probably get some incriminating emails first.

Not to mention Hikaru's situation with her lousy boyfriend refusing to return her calls now that she may be pregnant. She should sue him for child support if she is :)

OK, this drama is making me lawsuit-happy, but seriously, I was watching this and going - GET A LAWYER, LADY AND GENTS! :P

Now that I've checked out all the Spring dramas I planned to except for Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (because I am shallow and will give anything with Narimiya Hiroki at least a staring chance), I have a ranking.

But first a Yankee-kun trailer (it's a drama, I believe based on a manga I read and liked) about a formerly good student who became a delinquent (NH) and a former delinquent and now class president who decides to straighten him out.

Shiiiiip!

Now back to the rankings. I think my ranking in order of preference is:

1. Sunao ni Narenakute2. Prosecutor Princess - it's fluffy and hilarious and romantic and emo and has a little mystery and I just adore it to ridiculous bits, even more than Cinderella Unni (blasphemy, I know!)3. Cinderella Unni - excellent drama but it's so emo and everyone is so miserable, I may be putting it on hiatus for a few weeks. It's spring out and also there are stressful things in my own life going on, so I want something more mellow and less melo to buck me up.4. Oh My Lady - not a masterpiece but I have silly fun watching it5. Personal Taste - after a rough first 4 eps, gotten better and is pretty enjoyable now, with a bit of judicious fast-forwarding.

You guys, I am so in love with Sunao ni Narenakute - I have finished the episode and if it keeps this up, it's going on my all-time favorites list. I am more of a kdrama girl than a jdrama one, but almost nothing can compare with a jdrama done right.

Before a few comments on second half of first ep (behind cut), I just want to point out that at least two of the five main characters would have legal recourse out of their horrible situations if they were in the United States.

Poor Seonsu. I wanted to go in there and shred that horrible person's face. What kind of boss pours a cup of water on his employee's head and belittles and insults him in front of everyone? This is a textbook case of workplace harassment and racial discrimination as Seonsu is Korean. Hello, lawsuit in the US! He'd win pretty easily, too.

And speaking of textbook, hello Kaoru's situation! This is like an example from a lawbook of what sexual harassment looks like! When your boss tells you she will fire you or demote you if you don't become her boytoy? Case over - though he should probably get some incriminating emails first.

Not to mention Hikaru's situation with her lousy boyfriend refusing to return her calls now that she may be pregnant. She should sue him for child support if she is :)

OK, this drama is making me lawsuit-happy, but seriously, I was watching this and going - GET A LAWYER, LADY AND GENTS! :P

Now that I've checked out all the Spring dramas I planned to except for Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (because I am shallow and will give anything with Narimiya Hiroki at least a staring chance), I have a ranking.

But first a Yankee-kun trailer (it's a drama, I believe based on a manga I read and liked) about a formerly good student who became a delinquent (NH) and a former delinquent and now class president who decides to straighten him out.

Shiiiiip!

Now back to the rankings. I think my ranking in order of preference is:

1. Sunao ni Narenakute2. Prosecutor Princess - it's fluffy and hilarious and romantic and emo and has a little mystery and I just adore it to ridiculous bits, even more than Cinderella Unni (blasphemy, I know!)3. Cinderella Unni - excellent drama but it's so emo and everyone is so miserable, I may be putting it on hiatus for a few weeks. It's spring out and also there are stressful things in my own life going on, so I want something more mellow and less melo to buck me up.4. Oh My Lady - not a masterpiece but I have silly fun watching it5. Personal Taste - after a rough first 4 eps, gotten better and is pretty enjoyable now, with a bit of judicious fast-forwarding.

You guys, I am so in love with Sunao ni Narenakute - I have finished the episode and if it keeps this up, it's going on my all-time favorites list. I am more of a kdrama girl than a jdrama one, but almost nothing can compare with a jdrama done right.

Before a few comments on second half of first ep (behind cut), I just want to point out that at least two of the five main characters would have legal recourse out of their horrible situations if they were in the United States.

Poor Seonsu. I wanted to go in there and shred that horrible person's face. What kind of boss pours a cup of water on his employee's head and belittles and insults him in front of everyone? This is a textbook case of workplace harassment and racial discrimination as Seonsu is Korean. Hello, lawsuit in the US! He'd win pretty easily, too.

And speaking of textbook, hello Kaoru's situation! This is like an example from a lawbook of what sexual harassment looks like! When your boss tells you she will fire you or demote you if you don't become her boytoy? Case over - though he should probably get some incriminating emails first.

Not to mention Hikaru's situation with her lousy boyfriend refusing to return her calls now that she may be pregnant. She should sue him for child support if she is :)

OK, this drama is making me lawsuit-happy, but seriously, I was watching this and going - GET A LAWYER, LADY AND GENTS! :P

Now that I've checked out all the Spring dramas I planned to except for Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (because I am shallow and will give anything with Narimiya Hiroki at least a staring chance), I have a ranking.

But first a Yankee-kun trailer (it's a drama, I believe based on a manga I read and liked) about a formerly good student who became a delinquent (NH) and a former delinquent and now class president who decides to straighten him out.

Shiiiiip!

Now back to the rankings. I think my ranking in order of preference is:

1. Sunao ni Narenakute2. Prosecutor Princess - it's fluffy and hilarious and romantic and emo and has a little mystery and I just adore it to ridiculous bits, even more than Cinderella Unni (blasphemy, I know!)3. Cinderella Unni - excellent drama but it's so emo and everyone is so miserable, I may be putting it on hiatus for a few weeks. It's spring out and also there are stressful things in my own life going on, so I want something more mellow and less melo to buck me up.4. Oh My Lady - not a masterpiece but I have silly fun watching it5. Personal Taste - after a rough first 4 eps, gotten better and is pretty enjoyable now, with a bit of judicious fast-forwarding.